Indian security officials arrive in Pakistan ahead of cricket series by AFP

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Event:

India in Pakistan 2005/06

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DateLine: 26th December 2005

 

A five-member Indian delegation arrived here Sunday to assess security at cricket grounds before their team's tour of Pakistan next month.

 

"We are here to discuss security and venue assessment, and will tour all the venues of the series," said Yashovardhan Azad, a senior police official.

 

India will start their tour on January 5 and will play three Tests and five one-day games.

 

New Delhi has cleared the tour but concerns remain, particularly over violence-plagued Karachi where foreign teams have previously refused to play a five-day Test, and the northern city of Peshawar.

 

India rejected Karachi for a Test when they toured Pakistan last year, their first tour across the border since 1989-90. But they played a limited-overs international without any trouble.

 

The Indian delegation will visit Karachi on Monday and then travel to the other venues, said Azad, elder brother of former cricket international Kirti Azad, who managed security for the Pakistani team in 1999 and early this year.

 

Besides Azad, the delegation includes two cricket board officials and two government officials.

 

India at present are scheduled to play a Test and a one-dayer in Karachi.

 

They are also due to play a one-dayer in Peshawar, a northern city rejected by foreign teams in the past because of its close proximity to violence-plagued Afghanistan.

 

England also refused to play in Peshawar but India played a one-day game there on their last trip.

 

Tentative itinerary:

 

January 5 - Arrival in Lahore

 

Jan 7-9 - three day game in Lahore

 

Jan 13-17 - Ist Test in Lahore

 

Jan 21-25 - Second Test in Faisalabad

 

Jan 29-Feb 2 - Third Test in Karachi

 

Feb 8 - Ist one-day international in Peshawar

 

Feb 12 - Second one-day international in Rawalpindi

 

Feb 15 - Third one-day international in Lahore

 

Feb 18 - Fourth one-day international in Multan

 

Feb 20 - Fifth one-day international in Karachi

(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)